Many NFL teams have started their minicamps in the off-season. Now, while most are optional, many players choose not to attend these practices. Most notable is Buffalo Bills catcher Terrell Owens. After Owens was released by Dallas, he quickly found a new home in Buffalo, but as always with TO, nothing changes.

Owens has decided to miss the first two weeks of optional training in Buffalo and says he’s fine doing his normal routine alone. TO has never pushed for his team and hasn’t attended March workouts since his days as a 49er. Owens is now with his third different team since he left the 49ers in 2003 and it hasn’t changed the way he is. Many people felt that it would be nice if Owens showed up and showed Buffalo that he’s committed, but of course, Owens had other plans.

Numerous players have followed Owens and opt to skip practice or wait. Many of these players even pay fines for missing team practice. Cutler has been asking for a trade and hasn’t shown up to camp and therefore has already forfeited a $100,000 bonus that he was going to earn. Many of these players don’t have a good reason for missing camp and should be there with the rest of their team, especially if you’re the quarterback that’s supposed to lead them.

The NFL should start imposing tougher penalties on those players who really don’t care if they get fined a few thousand dollars because to them it’s nothing. Athletes make so much money that a few thousand for them to miss practice or camp is nothing more than a slap on the wrist. If players were faced with the decision to miss games without pay, if they missed practices they might show up instead. A team is supposed to function as one and so if one person has to be there, everyone should be there practicing with them.